A facing panel

ABSTRACT

A facing panel for buildings and similar structures comprises a lost-type form including a plurality of longitudinal staves each having stave engaging means along the longitudinal edges thereof, and a plurality of counter-staves each having counter-stave engaging means along the longitudinal edges thereof. The stave and counter-stage engaging means are adapted to mate with and engage one another. The lost-type form further includes a suitable decorative covering on a front side thereof and containing means on a rear side thereof. A hardened material occupies the containing means and anchoring means are provided for fastening the hardend material to the lost type-form.

United States Patent [191 Sironi Jan. 8, 1974 FACING PANEL FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS [76] Inventor; Francesco simni, Via plinio 3 554,481 7/1943 Great Britain 52/599 Milan, Italy Primary Examiner-Price C. Faw, Jr. Filed: July 2, 1971 Attorney--Michael S. Striker [21] Appl. No.: 159,372

[57] ABSTRACT [30] Foreign Application Priority Data A facing panel for buildings andsimilar structures. July 7, 1970 Italy .l 2709s A/70 mPril$es a lSt'tYPe including a plurality of gitudinal staves each having stave engaging means 52 U.S. c1. .Q 52/599, 52/602 eleng the longitudinal edges therfeefi and a plurality 0f [51] Int. Cl. E04c 2/28 counter'staves each having counter'stave engaging [58] Field of Search 52/598, 599, 601, means along the longitudinal edges thereof The Steve 52/600, 602, 612 309, 596, 615 and counter-stage engaging means are adapted to mate with and engage one another. The lost-type form [56] References Cited further includes a suitable decorative covering on a UNITED STATES PATENTS front side thereof and containing means on a rear side thereof. A hardened material occupies the containing 2,703,004 3/1955 Kenedym 52/60l gi nqgnqp ptpywivqgrd for fastening 338 5 32 21:53? ii the hardened material to the lost type-form. 1,305,492 6/1919 Quass...; 52/599 X 7 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PAIENIEfl- 3,783,572

sum 1 or 2 INVENTOR Flamenco S 1/1001 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to panels and more particularly to facing panels made by filling a lost-type form with concrete.

2. Description of the Prior Art Facing panels have been known in the past. However, the prior art panels have generally been made according to complicated procedures. Consequently this has contributed to the high costlof such panels. Other prior art panels provide only a decorative function. This then requires that another siding be installed to provide adequate support. The panels are then mounted on the stronger siding. Obviously, this procedure can entail large expense both in terms of time and money.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention seeks to eliminate the disadvantages of the prior art panels set forth above. Thus,

which was made from a single unit of sheet-like material. The method at this point would be similar to that used in that case. Thus for example concrete would be poured on the interior side of the now constructed losttype form and be permitted to set and harden. In both modes, the interior side of the lost-type form can be so irregularly shaped as to provide recesses and inwardly bent edges so as to provide natural anchoring means for the concrete once it has dried.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in thhe appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation,

. together with additional' objects and advantages the present invention performs a simple method for the manufacture of facing panels. Also, since the resulting panel has both decorative as well as utilitarian properties, it can be installed more quickly while providing adequate structural support and providing any decorative finish on the exterior of the structure. I

According to the present invention, a lost-type form is provided which can accomodate and contain a flowable hardenable material on one side while providing a decorative exterior on the other side. By filling the losttype form with such a hardenable material, and permitting this material to harden it becomes an integral part of the lost-type form and provides support both to the form as well as to the structure.

According to one mode of the invention, the entire lost-type form is shaped as a single unit. One side of the form, the exterior, bears the decorative features of the panel. The other side of the panel,'the interior side, is shaped in the form of a shallow container. According to this mode of the invention, the method simply consists of filling the interior side of the lost-type form with concrete and allowing it to set. Irregularities on the interior of the lost-type form, or possibly anchoring devices on the interior side of the form, retain the concrete to the interior of the form.

According to another mode of the present invention, the lost-type form is not made from a single continuous sheet-like material but is first constructed from a multiplicity of staves and counter-staves associated so as to permit convenient engaging relationship along their longitudinal edges. After so engaging the staves and counter-staves along their edges, longitudinal and transverse sides are mounted on the combined staves and counter-staves at the longitudinal as well as transverse ends of the panel so formed. These longitudinal and transverse sides serve two functions. The first being to maintain the engaged staves and counter-staves in fixed relationship to one another during the curing or hardening of the material poured into the interior side of the form while the other function being to form sides for the interior side of the form so as to form a container for holding the hardenable material while it is still in a flowable state. After so having combined the multiplicity of staves and counter-staves as well as the transverse and longitudinal sides, the resulting form is effectively the same type of form as described above thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a partially exploded view showing in perspective a lost-type form in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top cross-sectional view of a facing panel having the construction shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a partial top cross-sectional view of two facing panels like those shown in FIG. 2 connected at their transverse ends and sealed by a shaped connecting member; and

FIG. 4 is a partial side cross-sectional view showing the means for sealing two panels at their longitudinal ends.

. DESCRIPTION OFTI-IE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings'in detail, lost-type fonn 10 is shown in partially exploded view. Thus, losttype form 10 is shown to consist of a plurality of staves 1 and a plurality of counter-staves 3, both being longitudinal strip members. Although shown to be similarly shaped, there is no requirement that staves l have a similar shape to the shape of counter-staves 3. In the present embodiment, staves l are shown to consist of essentially smooth flat surfaces and U-shaped edges or channels 2 along their longitudinal sides. Likewise, counter-staves 3 are shown to consist of smooth flat surfaces while having U-shaped longitudinal edges or channels 4. By intermeshing the longitudinal edges 2 and longitudinal edges 4 of the staves and counterstaves respectively, an engaging relationship is obtained between these members. Although shown to be in the shape of a U, the bent edges 2 and 4 of the staves and counter-staves respectively, do not have to be in that shape. It is obvious that rounded edges or V- shaped edges or any other shaped edges which can provide such engaging relationship would be equally satisfactory.

Also the material used for making the lost-type form is not very critical. Materials that can be used for the preparation of the lost-type forms can be made from any type of rolled or malleable material suitable to make an outer facing for buildings, e.g., metallic rolled section, either painted or not, such as aluminum, stain- Since these panels are intended to be used mostly on the exterior of buildings in general, either civil or industrial, but also on the interior of such structures, it is of course necessary that they have a pleasing and decorative appearance. The present invention contemplates that the outer or exterior sides incorporate appropriate finishes or outer coverings which are in themselves suitably pleasing and decorative. Although shown to be rectangular flat smooth surfaces, the shape of the exterior sides of said staves 1 can take on a variety of other shapes and finishes. Thus, the exterior surface of staves 1 can be smooth or shaped in such a manner as to produce coverings and shapes knownin the art. For instance, square or rectangular shapes are often used in modern structures. However, ribs, corrugations as well as other designs could likewise adorn the exterior of such staves.

In FIG. 1, staves 1 are juxtaposed and coplanar. The longitudinal edges 2 of staves l are all bent to one side, the interior side of the form, while all the finished sides of the staves 1 likewise face one side of the form, the exterior side. Staves 1 are spaced adjacent to one another but have a space between them which is approximately equal to the transverse dimension of counterstaves 3.

Although the transverse dimensions of staves 1 are shown to be greater than those of counter-staves 3, this is not a critical requirement. Thus although this would normally be the case it is possble that the dimensions of counter-staves 3 in the transverse direction of the panel be greater than those of staves 1. In the present embodiment the exterior surfaces of staves I bear the decorative features of the form. 7 However, counterstaves 3 may likewise bear such decorative features and in fact they can in combination form a design which is desired.

The staves 3 are each shown to connect a pair of staves l at their longitudinal edges respectively. FIG. 1 shows the staves and counter-staves in their fully enmeshed position. Thus the bent edges 2 and 4 of the staves 1 and counter-staves 3 respectively are shown to be fully overlapping one another. During construction however, when staves l and counter-staves 3 have not yet been mated, it would be necessary to bring the bent edges 4 of counter-staves 3 along the interior surface of staves l and move the counter-staves 3 in a transverse direction until the respective U portions of the bent edges have been meshed. After so meshing all the staves and counter-staves which are going to form the lost-type form 10, it is desirable to pull the two end members, be they staves 1 or counter-staves 3, so as to ensure the fully meshed relationship of all the staves and counter-staves. This is necessary, as will be explained later, to provide a seal between the edges 2 and edges 4 to contain a hardenable material such as concrete or other such viscous material.

Such execution of the staves and of the counterstaves permits a very rapid assembly of the lost-type form and, moreover, is suitable for mass production at a low cost, and also facilitates the packing and transportation of individual staves l and counter-staves 3. This comes about as a result of the standardization of the staves and counter-staves in both shape and size. Thus, presumably all the staves having common dimensions as well as all the counter-staves similarly having common dimensions would be packed and shipped together or any other advantageous packing scheme could be used.

After sufficient staves l and counter-staves 3 have been engaged to result in a panel or suitable size, upper and lower transverse sides 5 and 6 respectively are mated with the staves l and counter-staves 3 at their longitudinal ends.

Each transverse side is shown'to be made up of a transverse raised portion 7.which extends along the transverse dimension of the lost-type form 10 and extends generally in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the lost-type form. The extent to which the transverse raised portions 7 extend away from the plane of the lost-type form 10 will determine the height of the shallow container portion of the interior of the lost-type form which will be explained below. Tabs 7 and 7" are extensions of transverse raised portions 7 and extend along the longitudinal direction of staves l for approximately the same distance as the dimension of the transverse raised portions 7. In addition, longitudinal sides 11 have horizontal walls 8 which span the same distance as the transverse raised portions 7 along the transverse sides of the lost-type form 10, however, horizontal wall 8 lies generally in the plane of lost-type form 10. The dimensions of the horizontal wall 8 in the longitudinal direction of staves 1 is made to be approximately equal to the longitudinal dimension of side tabs 7' and 7" in that same direction. Projecting from the horizontal walls 8, in a number equal to the number of staves in the lost-type form, are a multiplicity of extensions 9. The dimensions of the extensions 9 are similar to those of staves 1 at their cross-sections so as to enable the extensions 9 to cover the cross-sectional area of staves 1. Additionally, extensions 9 have extension tabs 9 and 9" extending along the longitudinal directions of staves l and generally in the same direction as that of side tabs 7 and 7". The dimensions of extensions 9 in the transverse direction of the lost type form 10 are slightly larger than those of the staves 1 in that same direction so that extension tabs 9 and 9" can overlap the transverse sides of staves 1. Extensions 9 as well as extension tabes 9 and 9" also serve as seals for the the flowable hardenable material which will ultimately be poured into the interior portion of the losttype form 10. However, being of unitary construction, the transverse sides 5 and 6 additionally maintain the engaged relationship between staves l and counterstaves 3 after each individual extension 9 has been mated with its corresponding stave 1. Now, extension tabs 9' and 9" prevent staves 1 from moving in transverse direction because of being secured between these tabs in preferably a snug fit.

The dimension of the lost-type form 10 will generally be limited once the longitudinal dimensions of the staves and counter-staves have been fixed. However, the transverse dimension can be changed as desired by adding or subtracting more or fewer staves or counterstaves in the construction process. After an appropriate dimension has been reached, longitudinal sides 11 are mounted in engaged form as shown in FIG. 1. Longitudinal sides 11 have generally the same type of engaging means as those of counter-staves 3 and therefore should be matched with a stave 1. For this reason in combining staves 1 and counter-staves 3 to form a losttype form, staves are generally placed at the outermost transverse ends of the lost-type form 10. U-shaped bent edge 14 of longitudinal side 11 is therefore likewise engaged with longitudinal side 2 of stave 1 which appears at the end of the lost-type form 10. Longitudinal side 11 is shown to consist of a wall 14 which has a longitudinal dimension equal to that of staves 1 and generally resembles at least a part of counter-staves 3. Longitudinal raised portions 12, which serve as end sides to the lost-type form, rise in a direction perpendicular to wall 14 and in the direction of the interior of lost-type form 10. The extent to which longitudinal raised portion 12 rises is to a great degree determined by the same factors which determined the extent of rise of the transverse raised portions 7 of transverse sides 5 and 6. However, longitudinal raised portion 12 does not extend the full longitudinal length of stave 1. Instead, it spans the entire longitudinal distance of stave 1 save a distance at each end which is approximately equivalent to the dimension of side tabs 7' and 7 Additionally, longitudinal raised portions 12 have along their longitudinal length an inwardly bent edge 13 whichis bent inwardly towards the interior of lost-type form 10. Obviously, there is no particular requirement on the shape or extent of bent edge 13. As will be described later, the purpose of bend 13 is to provide an anchor to the hardened material which fills the interior portion of the lost-type form and any bent edge or pinching effect which is economical to manufacture would be equally suitable at this point.

The longitudinal sides- 11 are instrumental, with upper and lower transverse sides Sand 6 respectively, during the curinng time of the hardenable material. Thus, the extension 9 of the ends of the lost-type form 10 will secure the end staves l at their transverse sides through the means of extension tabs 9' and 9". Having engaged longitudinal edge 2 of a stave 1 and the longitudinal edge 4 of a longitudinal side 11 so that there is total overlapping of said edges, the upper transverse sides 5 and 6 now urge longitudinal sides 11 outwardly from said lost-type form in a transverse direction by means of side tabs 7 and 7 which are made to pass the ends of longitudinal sides 11 on the inside surface of longitudinal raised portions 12 between wall 14 and inwardly bent edge 13. Thus, the side tabs 7 and 7" help to prevent the longitudinal sides 11 from moving in any direction, and this includes both longitudinal as well as transverse directions. The mating between side tabs 7 and 7" and longitudinal raised portions 12 by such overlap of surfaces, also provides a seal between these two raised walls for the flowable hardenable material.

It is obvious that a lost-type form 10 need not be constructed in a fashion described above. A lost-type form having the same characteristics ultimately as the losttype form shown in FIG. 1, canbe produced from a single sheet-like piece of material which can be formed to provide the various irregularities and side walls. Also, it is conceivable that a form, such as shown in FIG. 1, could be cast from a molten material such as metal or plastic. In either event, the form resulting thereby can be used in forming facing panels as will be described herein. However the lost-type form shown in FIG. 1, as described above, provides the additional advantages of simplicity in packing and shipping as well as the flexibility that can be had in terms of overall dimensions.

A top cross-sectional view of an entire facing panel constructed as shown in FIG. 1 is shown in FIG. 2. As described above, a multiplicity of staves l are juxtaposed in a coplanar fashion and are mated by connecting counter-staves 3 whose edges are similar to but bent in a direction oppositely to those of staves 1. Thus, the bent edges 2 of staves 1 as well as bent edges 4 of counter-staves 3 are shown to be U-shaped and rectangular.

At each transverse end of the facing panel, longitudinal raised portions 12 are shown to be engaged by means of outwardly bent edges 15 to the U-shaped bent edge 2 of the end staves 1 in a similar fashion as the U- shaped bent edges 4 of counter edges 3 are engaged to staves l. 1

FIG. 2 also shows the engaged relationships between.

all the staves 1, counter-staves 3 and the longitudinal raised portions 12 prior to actually filling the interior container portion of lost-type form 10 with a flowable hardenable material. This rigidly engaged relationship as discussed above, is maintained by means of the upper and lower transverse sides 5 and 6 respectively.

Shown in FIG. 2 is the facing panel either during the time that it is setting or when the hardenable material 28 is in fact hardened. In this preferred embodiment the flowable hardenable material is chosen to be concrete although other types of flowable hardenable material would be equally satisfactory.

Having formed a sealed container for flowable hardenable materials, as explained above, the concrete is poured into the interior portion of lost-type form 10 and is permitted to permeate every irregularity and space which is contained therein. With the geometries selected for the staves l and counter-staves 3 as well as the U-shaped bent edges 2 and 4 in this case, it will be noted that spaces 2 are formed between the engaged bent edges 2 and 4 and the front surfaces of staves 1. Additionally, inwardly bent edges 13 create spaces 13' between the bent edges 13 and the longitudinal raised portions 12. Finally, a space is provided between the outside surface of staves l andthe mating joint which is produced by U-shaped bent edges 2 and 15 of end staves 1 and longitudinal raised portions 12 respectively. The concrete is permitted to flow into all of the aforementioned spaces and occupy such spaces during the hardening or setting process.

It is obvious that upon hardening the concrete will be retained inside the interior portion of lost-type form 10 by means of the natural or inherent anchors resulting from such hardening of concrete 28 in the spaces mentioned above. It is by this means that the flowable hardenable material is used to form a rigid supporting member for the exterior decorative sidings and make such sidings an integral part of the strong supporting member. It is clear that the strength of a facing panel can be increased or decreased by changing the thickness of the concrete slab 28. This would be accomplished by changing the dimensions of longitudinal raised portions 12 and transverse raised portions 7. Where a great deal of support is required these raised portions 7 and 12 would be made substantially higher. Although the dimensions in FIG. 2 are not intended to be drawn to scale, it is obvious that the dimensions of the facing panels could be designed to meet any particular need. Walls 14, generally coplanar with lost-type form 10, appear at each transverse end of the panel. These walls 14, as will be subsequently explained, are utilized in connecting two adjacent panels one to another and sealing the exterior sides of the panels from the interior.

The concrete casting can'be carried out in any suitable location. Obviously, this can be performed at the factory. However, where it is to advantage, it is possible to ship staves 1, counter-staves 3, longitudinal sides 1 l, and transverse sides 5 and 6 to a building site, and fabricate the lost-type forms 10 and subsequently set the concrete 28 in said forms 10 to produce facing panels as required.

After the concrete has set, the panels obtained are ready for being installed in place. This operation permits the panels to be anchored in any suitable manner. The procedure for connecting and sealing panels at their respective longitudinal as well as transverse ends will now be briefly described.

FIG. 3 shows a pair of adjacent panels connected at their transverse ends by means of a shaped connecting member 16. As will be recognized, staves I extend to the ends of the transverse sides of the panels and are engaged with longitudinal raised portions 12 at their respective bent edges. Counter-staves 3, as is shown, clearly do not become involved in the interconnection of adjacent panels since they are always interior to the transverse ends. The parts of the panels which are most instrumental in the interconnection of adjacent panels are the longitudinal raised portions 12, the walls 14 and the inwardly bent edges 13. All these members form parts of the longitudinal sides 11.

A shaped connecting member 16 is shown to consist of two major shaped portions. A front shaped section 17 is generally shaped so as to cover the two walls 14 along their entire surfaces of each of the adjacent pan els. Similarly to staves 1, the front shapedsection exterior can be made to be decorative as it will appear on the exterior side of the panel. On the rear side of front shaped section 17 there appear two seats 18 which are also U-shaped and extend sufficiently away from longitudinal raised portions 12 so as to be almost in their entirety in opposing relationship with the walls 14.

A rear shaped section 19 is' provided with a right angle flange which fits inside seats 18 as shown. The narrowedportion of the'rear shaped section 19 extends through the spacing between longitudinal raised portions 12 but falls short of the inwardly bent edges 13. A bolt 20, anchored at the end of the narrowed portion of the rear shaped section 19 continues to project towards the rear of the panel beyond the inwardly bent edges 13 where a stop nut 21 is mounted thereon.

Sealing glands 22 and 23 are additionally provided around the outside of the surfaces of seats 18 along their entire length. By this method sealing glands 22 and 23 provides a seal between seats 18 and the U- shaped bent edges of staves 1. However, by wrapping the sealing gland material about the entire external surface of seat 18 this sealing gland material also appears between seats 18 and walls 14. At such times that seats 18 are urged against walls 14, the sealing gland material will be compressed and form an effective seal at those intermediate points.

In connecting two panels, two panels are juxtaposed in a coplanar fashion in such a way that their longitudinal portions are facing each other with sufficient space left between the longitudinal raised portions 12 so as to enable the extended portion of rear shaped section 19 to pass therethrough. However, the distance between the panels should be small enough so that seats 18 find entire support against walls 14.

A subsequent step might be to wrap the sealing glands 22 and 23 about seats 18 so as to remain thereon. It is conceivable that a suitable glue on the external surfaces of seats 18 may be utilized to adhere sealing glands 22 and 23 to said seats. The right angle flanged portions of rear shaped section 19 should then be inserted within the seats 18 by sliding said flange portions from one end of the front shaped section 17 until they are each engaged along their entire length. Bolts 20 are inserted through appropriate openings in the extended portion of rear shaped section 19 through the flanged ends so as to be anchored to the end of the rear shaped section 19 opposite to the end bearing the flanges. The bolt 20 extending rearwardly of inwardly bent edges 13 and extending beyond, has fitted onto it a stop nut 21 whose transverse dimensions are larger than the spacing between longitudinal raised portions 12. By adjusting stop nut 21 it is ultimately brought to bear against inwardly bent edges 13 and the top surface of concrete 28. By continuing to turn the nut, and thereby tightening it, the rear shaped section 19, being anchored to a bolt 20, is urged towards the rear of the panels toward inwardly bent edges 13. It is clear that the rear shaped section 19, with its flanged shaped portions, will ultimately in turn urge the front shaped section 17 by means of seats 18 in which it is situated, and will likewise urge front shaped section 17 to move in a direction rearward of the panel. In this process, sealing glands 22 and 23, being contained partly between seats 18 and walls 14, will be compressed and form an effective seal betweenthose surfaces.

By tightening stop nut 21 as described above in sufficient degree the adjacent panels will be restrained in their motions by shaped connecting member 16. The restraining effect of shaped connecting member 16 is what causes an effective connection to be made between adjacent panels.

In FIG. 4 a method of sealing two panels which have been placed one on top of the other along their respective longitudinal ends, is shown. FIG. 4 shows a fragmentary cross sectional side view of two panels mounted one on top of the other taken through a pair of staves. As such, extensions 9 are shown to cap or fit over staves 1 and horizontal walls 8 and transverse raised portions 7 all forming part of transverse sides 5 or 6.

A sealing unit 27 is shown to comprise at one end a flashing 24 which is broadened so as to bridge the distance between adjacent extensions 9, and a resistant extension 25. Resistant extension 25 is made of springlike material and in its unflexed state is of slightly greater dimensions than the distance between extensions 9. A sealing gland 26 is wrapped around flashing 24 so as to extend and appear between horizonal walls 8 and the flashing 24. In use, the sealing gland is placed around flashing 24 and the resistant extension 25 is inserted from the rear side of the panel into the spacing existing between extensions 9 and thereby compressing resistant extension 25. As the sealing unit is further inserted through the extensions 9, frictional forces appear between said extensions 9 and resistant extension 25 because extension 25 is resisting the compressive forces which are impressed upon it, and this procedure is carried forward until the sealing unit 27 is totally inserted, i.e., until it is no longer possible to compress the sealing gland 26 and therefore no more insertion is possible. The compressive forces which are brought to bear against the sealing gland 26 by the broadened flashing 24 create a seal between the flashing 24 and horizontal walls 8. It is now possible to release the sealing unit 27 and the unit is retained within extensions 9 by means of the frictional forces which appear in the vicinity between extensions 9 and resistant extension 25. in order to enhance this effect, it is desirable to provide a sealing gland 26 which is soft enough so as not to create unduly large expansive forces against the broadened flashing 24 and at the same time provide extensions 9 with surfaces which are not unduly smooth. Either one of these situations could defeat the purpose of providing a suitable seal between two panels. It would in fact be advantageous to provide surfaces on extensions 9 and resistant extension 25 and selecting a sealing material for sealing gland 26 which is adequate 'but yet is sufficiently soft so as notto counteract substantially the frictional forces generated at the other end of the sealing unit.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a facing panel, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can by applying current knownledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims:

1. A facing panel for buildings and similar structures, comprising a lost-type form including a plurality of longitudinal staves each having stave engaging means along the longitudinal edges thereof, and a plurality of counter-staves each having counter-stave engaging.

means along the longitudinal edges thereof, said stave and counter-stave engaging means mating with and engaging one another, a set of transverse sides having first raised portions towards the rear of said panel and extensions whose dimensions are similar to those of the transverse cross-section of the engaged staves and counter-staves so as to mate therewith at the longitudinal ends of said panel, a set of longitudinal sides having second raised portions towards the rear of said panel provided at the transverse ends of said panel and mating with corresponding end staves by engaging means similar to said counter-stave engaging means, and said lost-type form including a decorative covering on a front side thereof and also including containing means on a rear side thereof; a hardened material occupying said containing means; and anchoring means for fastening said hardened material to said lost-type form.

2. A facing panel as in claim 1, wherein said containing means comprises said rear side of said panel, said first raised portions and said second raised portions sur rounding said panel.

3. A facing panel as in claim l, wherein said engaging means of each of said staves and counter-staves comprises a pair of bent U-shaped edges.

4. A facing panel as in claim 3, wherein the U-shaped edges of alternating staves and counter-staves face each other and are engaged by the intermeshing of said U-shaped edges.

5. A facing panel as in claim 1 wherein said lost-type form is made from a malleable metallic material.

6. A facing panel as in claim 1 wherein the front sides of said staves are smooth.

7. A facing panel as in claim 1 wherein said hardened material is concrete. 

1. A facing panel for buildings and similar structures, comprising a lost-type form including a plurality of longitudinal staves each having stave engaging means along the longitudinal edges thereof, and a plurality of counter-staves each having counter-stave engaging means along the longitudinal edges thereof, said stave and counter-stave engaging means mating with and engaging one another, a set of transverse sides having first raised portions towards the rear of said panel and extensions whose dimensions are similar to those of the transverse crosssection of the engaged staves and counter-staves so as to mate therewith at the longitudinal ends of said panel, a set of longitudinal sides having second raised portions towards the rear of said panel provided at the transverse ends of said panel and mating with corresponding end staves by engaging means similar to said counter-stave engaging means, and said lost-type form including a decorative covering on a front side thereof and also including containing means on a rear side thereof; a hardened material occupying said containing means; and anchoriNg means for fastening said hardened material to said lost-type form.
 2. A facing panel as in claim 1, wherein said containing means comprises said rear side of said panel, said first raised portions and said second raised portions surrounding said panel.
 3. A facing panel as in claim 1, wherein said engaging means of each of said staves and counter-staves comprises a pair of bent U-shaped edges.
 4. A facing panel as in claim 3, wherein the U-shaped edges of alternating staves and counter-staves face each other and are engaged by the intermeshing of said U-shaped edges.
 5. A facing panel as in claim 1 wherein said lost-type form is made from a malleable metallic material.
 6. A facing panel as in claim 1 wherein the front sides of said staves are smooth.
 7. A facing panel as in claim 1 wherein said hardened material is concrete. 